Written By:  Angelita Manown and Jeff Vogt

MADISON, WI. Feb. 4th, 2010. The sport of mixed martial arts is officially regulated in Wisconsin!

Legislation spearheaded by Duke Roufus, champion kickboxer, promoter and MMA coach, has led Gov. Jim Doyle to sign a bill regulating the fast-rising sport.  CONCEDE 's, Dr. Tim Westlake, (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blackbelt and ER physician) among many other MMA insiders, went before Wisconsin lawmakers on several different occasions to speak on the behalf of MMA.

The bill reached the governor's  desk at the beginning of the month, with Wisconsin lawmakers believing he would sign the bill with little hesitation.

State legislators have overwhelmingly supported the legislation. In a unanimous 96-0 vote late last month, the Wisconsin State Assembly approved the Wisconsin MMA Safety Act.  The support of Roufus, Westlake and the Wisconsin MMA community helped provide the Assembly with first-hand information on the rising sport.

"Duke and I are both very pleased to have been involved in the process of regulating the safety of athletes involved in the sport (of MMA) in Wisconsin," said  Scott Joffe, of  WFC (WI Fighting Championship) and Roufusport MMA Academy.  "Everyone involved with the process should be proud of  this historic day."

Both fighters and fans of MMA can now look for the accelerated growth and development of Wisconsin MMA in 2010 and beyond.

Just seven states in the United States haven't regulated MMA to date, with progress being made in several holdout states.